A couple of new NY Times articles on Porsche hybrids, both name-checking (at least) the Prius. Am I crazy, or is electricity starting to be a replacement for turbocharging among those who want to boost power? Technology: 3 Hybrids By Porsche Tailored To the Task Behind the Wheel | 2011 Porsche Cayenne: Cayenne Hybrid: Prius of Porsches
Yep, your crazy. The porsche that will sell the most hybrids the Cayenne is super charged (electric turbo) and hybrid. It's layed out like the bmw activehybrids which are turbochared in both the 5 and 7 variants. For high powered applications it makes sense for a turbo hybrid as the motor evens out the low speed performance pushing the car to levels that would require more cylinders. Turbocharging adds cost so in lower power applications of 200hp and less it makes no sense to shrink the engine and add a turbo. Its good to see these high end cars getting hybrids. It will draw demand as the best car bmw and porsche makes will be hybrids maybe getting a hybrid is a good idea.
Yes, it's pretty frustrating that new hybrid technology is being hyjacked, prostituted really, by the likes of the Lexus GS/h, LS/h, and yes, now the Cayenne. The Cayenne would have worked well downsizing the SC V6 so the HP/torque, TOTAL HP/torque, remained roughly the same as the non-hybrid V6. The original LS400 engine produced only 248HP, about right IMMHO. Putting the GS'es hybrid system into a "green" version of the LS, LS450h, would have been a real winner.
